Shipping-crate.



G. BECKER.

SHIPPING CRATE.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY z5, 1912.

1,089,896. Patented Mar. 10, 1914L cDLUMmA PLANOGXMPN co.. WASHINGTON.n. c,

GUSTAV BECKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHIPPING-CRATE.

insonne.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. i0, '19t-zt.

Application lefl July 25, 1912. Serial No. 711,558.

Be it known that l, Gus'mv linonnn, a citizen of the llnited States, anda resident of the city of Chicago, county of (look, sind State ofillinois, have invented certain neu' and useful improvements inShipping;- Crates, of which the following a speizilieation.

My invention relates to shipping crates and more specifically to thatclass thereof designed for use especially in the shipment of bananas.

The object of my invention is the production of a ernte of the charactermentimied, which will be of a foldable nature so that, when in use, thesame may be folded together into compact form for cfmvenience in storageor return shipment.

A further object is the production of a shipping` crate, as mentioned,which will be of durable and economical, consti-nothin and efficient inuse.

Other objects vvill. appear hereinafter.

rl`he invention consists in the combina tions and arrzmgrenients ofparts hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

The invention will be best understoml by reference to theaccompanyinLe;- drawing;` forming' a part of this specification, and inwhich,

Figure l is a perspective view of the shipping crate embodying,` myinvention, the seme being' shown arranged in distended or operativeposition.y 2 is a plan view of the crate in unfolded or inoperative position, Fig. 3 is a detail perspective illustratine; the preferred form ofconstruction for locking the crate in distended or operative position,Fig. 4- is a horizontal section of the crate illustrating` a` modifiedform of construction for pivotally connecting the sections of the cratebody, Fig. 5 is a per snective vienT of the lower end portion of theconstruction shown in Fig. 4l, and ltligs, G and 7 are Views similar toFigs. 4f and 5 respectively, illustrating another forno of constructionfor pivotally connecting` the sections of the body.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawing'comprises a body consisting of a lateral Wall which is formed of aplurality, preferably four in number, of rectangular sections l. Each ofthe sections 1 is formed of a frame Q and a :foraminated or reticulatecentral portion 3 which is formed preferably of Wire mesh as shown.

The contiguous edges of the sections l. are pivotally connected by meansef wires Llu'hieh are secured to the transversely extending bearinglportions of the frames 2 at the outer sides thereof, said wires beine'secured to said 'frame members by means of staples ily thus connecting;the sections Il., the latter will be permitted to be folded intorectangular form, as shown in Fie'. l, or unfolded into (to-planarpositions for' storage or return shipment, as shown in Fig". Q. Saidsections are .secured in folded or operative positions by the provisionof cooperating hooks and eyes (i and 7 provided at the respective endsof the ivire members 4l, as clearly shown in llip'. f2. lf desired, theextremities of `wire members t may be 'fastened together ,in the mannershown in Fig. 3, :in which event the respective extremities of said wiremembers will be formed with loops S adapted to interlock with eachother, a seal t) of any ordinary or preferred con struction bein;Yadapted for employment in locking' the loops S in engaging' position, aswill he readily understood. Also if desired, the ivire members "l may beformed in sections, each section beinp; of a length corresponding withthe width of the corresponding body section l, the contiguousextremities of said wire sect1ion,in this arrangement', being' pivotallyfastened together by providing` the same with 'interlocking loops, asclearly shown in Figs. 4l: and ilso if desired, the wire member Al maybe dispensed with and in lieu thereof hinges lO employed for pivotallyse airing the seetions l together` as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7, alock l0 of any desired construe tion beine' provided, in this event, toloch the sections in operative position.

Pivotally secured to the lower end portion of one of the sections 1 is nbottom ll adapted, when in use, to be supported at its outer or free endupon the cross-piece at the lower end of the diametrically oppositesection l., as clearly shown in l? lt and G. `When the crate is inunfolded condition, bottom ll may be :folded to position between thelengt tudinal frame members of the section l carrying' said bottom, asclearly shown in Fig'. 2.

Provided at the upper edges of the seetions l is a flexible sheet orstrip l2 formed preferably of fabric, the latter being; adapted, whenthe crate is in operative position, to be gathered together and securedby means of a cord l2 in order to constitute a closure for the crate, asclearly shown in F ig. l. W hen the crate is not in use said member l2may be positioned substantially co-planar With the sections l in orderto permit of packing of the crates in small compass as Will be readilyunderstood.

Within the crate body is provided a circular inner Wall 13 formedpreferably of a sheet of cardboard which is bent upon itself intotubular or cylindrical form, said inner Wall serving as a means ofinsuring against injury to the fruit by reason of contact thereof Withthe rough or unfinished surfaces of the crate sections l. Ilfhe member13, when the crate is unfolded, may be bent straight so as to lie flatupon the upper side of the crate body when in fiat or unfoldedcondition.

A crate of the construction set forth is durable and economical inconstruction, the same may be collapsed into compact form for storage orreturn shipment after the contents thereof have been removed, and theconstruction is such as to be highly efiicient in use.

TWhile I have ill .stratcd and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification Without departing from the spirit of theinvention. l', therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the exact detailsof construction set for h, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

l. A shipping crate comprising a plurality of sections pivotallyconnected togetl er;

a bottom hingedly secured to one of said sections; a flexible closuresecured to t-he upper ends of said sections; and a tubular4 flexibleWall loosely positioned Within said crate and adapted when removed to beunfolded to assume a flat form, substantially as de` scribed.

2. A shipping crate comprising` va body consisting of a plurality ofsections pivotally connected together at their vertical edges, one pairof said edges being detachably connected to permit of unfolding of saidsections; a bottom hingedly connected With one of said sections; and asheet of flexible material arranged in tubular form loosely positionedin said body to constitute an inner Wall therefor, said sheet beingadapted, when said body is unfolded, to be unwound into straightI formto lie flat against said body, substantially as described. v

3. A shipping crate comprising a body consisting of a plurality ofsections pivotally connected together at their verical edges, one pairof said edges being detachably connected to permit of unfolding of saidsections; a bottom hingedly connected with one of said sections; and asubstantially rectangular sheet of cardboard arranged in tubular form toconstitute an inner Wall therefor, said sheet being adapted, when saidbody is unfolded, to be unWound into straight form to lie fiat againstsaid body, substantially as described. Y

ln testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GUSTV BECKER.

Witnesses JOSHUA R. H. Po'rrs, C. E. VVnssnLs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Gommiss'ioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

